Container with co-molded receptacle

ABSTRACT

A container having a first container portion having a wall defining an interior and an exterior of the first container portion, and a second container portion having a wall defining an interior and an exterior of the second container portion, the exterior of the second container portion being spaced apart from the exterior of the first container portion via a connecting portion, the first container portion, second container portion and connecting portion being co-molded.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to plastic containers.More particularly, the present invention relates to multi-chambercontainers.

[0002] As is known, containers are commonly used with material deliverydevices such as spout extensions, spray nozzles and funnels. Forexample, a spray nozzle having a threaded fitting can be secured to thethreaded opening of a container. Further, the spray nozzle can beconnected to the fitting via a hose to provide greater flexibility forthe user.

[0003] In known containers, the material delivery device is detachedfrom the container after use and stored separately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present disclosure provides one or more inventions directedto improvements in containers. These improvements can be practicedjointly or separately.

[0005] To this end, in an embodiment, there is provided a containercomprising a first container portion having a wall defining an interiorand an exterior of the first container portion; and a second containerportion having a wall defining an interior and an exterior of the secondcontainer portion, and a substantially open top portion, the exterior ofthe second container portion being spaced apart from the exterior of thefirst container portion via a connecting portion, the first containerportion, second container portion and connecting portion beingco-molded.

[0006] In an embodiment, the first container portion has an inwardlydirected depression formed in a lower portion of the wall of the firstcontainer portion.

[0007] In an embodiment, the second container portion has an inwardlydirected depression formed in a lower portion of the wall of the secondcontainer portion.

[0008] In an embodiment, the connecting portion is formed at a heightabove the bottom of the first container portion.

[0009] In an embodiment, the second container portion has at least onereinforcement formed in the wall of the second container portion. Thereinforcement can comprise, for example, at least one rib formed in thewall of the second container portion, at least one crease formed in thewall of the second container portion, and/or a lip formed at or around atop of the wall of the second container portion.

[0010] In an embodiment, the first container portion comprises aplurality of chambers.

[0011] In an embodiment, the connecting portion comprises at least onereinforcement formed therein.

[0012] In an embodiment, the container is used with a material deliverydevice, wherein the material delivery device is at least one of a spoutextension, a spray nozzle and a funnel.

[0013] There is also provided in an embodiment, a method of forming acontainer. The method comprising the steps of: co-molding a walldefining an interior and an exterior of a first container portion, awall defining an interior and an exterior of a second container portionhaving a substantially open top portion, and a connecting portionintegral to and spacing apart the exteriors of the first containerportion and the second container portion.

[0014] These and other features of the present invention will becomeclearer with reference to the following detailed description of thepresently preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a container constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the container of FIG. 1.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG.1 of an embodiment of a connecting portion.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG.1 of an alternate embodiment of the connecting portion.

[0020]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG.1 of another alternate embodiment of the connecting portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] As discussed above, there is provided a container with aco-molded receptacle.

[0022] In FIG. 1, there is illustrated a container 10 constructed inaccordance with the present invention. A first container portion 12comprises a first wall 14 defining a vessel for holding materials. Thefirst wall 14 has an interior 18 and an exterior 16.

[0023] The first container portion 12 has an opening 20. As illustrated,the opening 20 is threaded to engage, for example, a closure or materialdelivery device. Alternatively, the opening 20 can comprise anothermeans for engagement, such as a lip.

[0024] The first container portion 12 also has an integrated handleportion 22.

[0025] In an embodiment, the first container portion 12 has a sidedepression 24 or “speed stripe” formed in the wall 14 of the firstcontainer portion 12. As illustrated, the side depression 24 is widertoward a rear of the first container portion 12 and narrower toward afront of the first container portion 12. The side depression 24 ispositioned in the wall 14 at a height above the bottom of the firstcontainer portion 12. The side depression 24 provides improved rigidityand improved aesthetic characteristics to the container 10.

[0026] The first container portion 12 can also have a first bottominwardly depressed region 26. The first bottom inwardly depressed region26 is formed in the wall 14 at a bottom side of the first containerportion 12.

[0027] In an embodiment, the first container portion 12 comprises aplurality of vessel chambers.

[0028] The container 10 also comprises a second container portion 28.The second container portion 28 comprises a second wall 30 defining aninterior 32 and an exterior 34 of the second container portion 28. Thesecond container portion 28 has a substantially open top portion 48 thatdoes not substantially recess toward an interior of the second containerportion 28. For example, the top portion 48 of the second containerportion 28 does not substantially recess toward the interior of thesecond container portion 28 to accommodate threads to engage a threadedclosure. In other words, the open area of the substantially open topportion 48 is substantially the same as the open area of an averagecross-section of the second wall 30.

[0029] In an embodiment, the second container portion 28 also comprisesa depression 36 or “speed stripe” formed in the wall 30 of the secondcontainer portion 28. As illustrated, the depression 36 is positioned inthe wall 30 at a height above the bottom of the second container portion28. Similar to the side depression 24 of the first container portion 12,the depression 36 of the second container portion 28 provides improvedrigidity and improved aesthetic characteristics to the container 10.

[0030] Similar to the first container portion 12, the second containerportion 28 can also have a second bottom inwardly depressed region 38.The second bottom inwardly depressed region 38 is formed in the wall 30at a bottom side of the second container portion 28.

[0031] In an embodiment, at least one reinforcement 40 is formed in thewall 30 of the second container portion 28. The reinforcement 40 isformed at or near a top of the second container portion 28 and can be,for example, an outwardly projecting rib, an inwardly recessed crease,or a lip. The reinforcement 40 improves the strength and aestheticcharacteristics of the second container portion 28. As the reinforcement40 is located near the top of the second container portion 28, thereinforcement 40 provides added strength to resist the weight ofmaterial delivery devices that may be set into the second containerportion 28.

[0032] The first container portion 12 and the second container portion28 are co-molded as a single unit with a co-molded connecting portion 42connecting them. The connecting portion 42 is formed unitarily with thewalls 16 and 30 of the first container portion 12 and the secondcontainer portion 28, respectively. In other words, the first containerportion 12, the second container portion 28, and the connecting portion42 are co-molded as a continuous, unitary device.

[0033] The connecting portion 42 can be solid throughout or can compriseone or more structural formations, such as a pattern or web, in itscross-section. In FIG. 4, there is illustrated a cross-sectional viewtaken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the connectingportion 42, wherein the connecting portion 42 has a linearcross-section.

[0034] In FIG. 5, there is illustrated a cross-sectional view takenalong the line 4-4 in FIG. 1 of an alternate embodiment of theconnecting portion 42. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 42 hasa curvilinear cross-section.

[0035] In FIG. 6, there is illustrated a cross-sectional view takenalong the line 4-4 in FIG. 1 of another alternate embodiment of theconnecting portion 42. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 42 hasa “beaded” cross-sectional shape.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting portion 42 isformed such that it is positioned at a height above the bottom of thefirst container portion 12. Alternatively, the connecting portion 42 canbe positioned at a height which is flush to the bottom of the firstcontainer portion 12 or to the height of the first or second bottominwardly depressed regions 26 and 38.

[0037] Further, the second container portion 28 is shown to be formed ata rear of the wall 14 of the first container portion 12. Alternatively,the second container portion 28 can be formed to any portion of the wall14. For example, the second container portion 28 can be connected to thefront of the first container portion 12 via the connecting portion 42.

[0038]FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the container 10. FIG. 3illustrates a rear elevational view of the container.

[0039] The container 10 is not limited to the illustrated shapes andtopologies and can embody shapes and/or topologies different from thoseillustrated. For example, the second container portion 28 can have apartially or fully open bottom. Further, the first container portion 12can be without a handle portion 22.

[0040] Thus, the container 10 beneficially provides both a firstcontainer portion 12 wherein materials can be contained and a secondcontainer portion 28 for storing, for example, a material deliverydevice.

[0041] The container 10 can be formed by, for example, blow molding.

[0042] According to the present method, the container 10 is formed byco-molding the wall 18 defining the interior 18 and the exterior 16 ofthe a first container portion 12, the wall 30 defining the interior 32and the exterior 34 of the second container portion 28, and theconnecting portion 42 integral to and spacing apart the exteriors, 16and 34 respectively, of the first container portion 12 and the secondcontainer portion 28.

[0043] As the first and second container portions 12 and 28 areco-molded, the present container 10 has reduced cost and improvedstrength compared to containers wherein a second container portion maybe attached to a first container portion. Further, the present container10 provides a great convenience in permitting the storage of materialdelivery devices in the second container portion 28.

[0044] As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the presentinvention is susceptible to being embodied with various alterations andmodifications which may differ particularly from those that have beendescribed in the preceding specification and description. It should beunderstood that it is desired to embody within the scope of the patentwarranted herein all such modifications as reasonably and properly comewithin the scope of the presently defined contribution to the art.

We claim as our invention:
 1. A container comprising: a first containerportion having a wall defining an interior and an exterior of the firstcontainer portion; and a second container portion having a wall definingan interior and an exterior of the second container portion, and asubstantially open top portion, the exterior of the second containerportion being spaced apart from the exterior of the first containerportion via a connecting portion, the first container portion, secondcontainer portion and connecting portion being co-molded.
 2. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the first container portion has aninwardly directed depression formed in a lower portion of the wall ofthe first container portion.
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein thesecond container portion has an inwardly directed depression formed in alower portion of the wall of the second container portion.
 4. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is formed at aheight above the bottom of the first container portion.
 5. The containerof claim 1, wherein the second container portion has at least onereinforcement formed in the wall of the second container portion.
 6. Thecontainer of claim 5, wherein the reinforcement comprises at least onerib formed in the wall of the second container portion.
 7. The containerof claim 5, wherein the reinforcement comprises at least one creaseformed in the wall of the second container portion.
 8. The container ofclaim 5, wherein the reinforcement comprises a lip formed at or around atop of the wall of the second container portion.
 9. The container ofclaim 1, wherein the first container portion comprises a plurality ofchambers.
 10. The container of claim 1, wherein the first containerportion comprises a handle.
 11. The container of claim 1, wherein theconnecting portion comprises at least one reinforcement formed therein.12. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is formed byblow-molding.
 13. The container of claim 1, wherein the container isused with a material delivery device.
 14. The container of claim 1,wherein the material delivery device is at least one of a spoutextension, a spray nozzle and a funnel.
 15. A method of forming acontainer, the method comprising the steps of: co-molding a walldefining an interior and an exterior of a first container portion, awall defining an interior and an exterior of a second container portionhaving a substantially open top portion, and a connecting portionintegral to and spacing apart the exteriors of the first containerportion and the second container portion.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the connecting portion is formed with at least one reinforcementtherein.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the container is formed byblow molding.